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Magoichi is the leader of the proud Saika renegades, a mercenary force that focuses on firearms. She is a proud woman, who believes wholeheartedly in the strength of the Saika forces.

In Samurai Heroes, Magoichi's path can take two directions; she can either join the Eastern Army and work for Ieyasu Tokugawa or she can join the Western Army under Mitsunari Ishida. Should she work for Ieyasu, she will join the Uesugi forces and catch the eye of Keiji Maeda and Kenshin Uesugi. Swearing his love for her, Keiji will follow her throughout the remaining stages with the Eastern Army; she views him as little more than an annoyance. At the conclusion of Sekigahara, with Ieyasu winning over Mitsunari, she declares their contract over and leaves. If Magoichi joins the Western Army, she swears to continue working for the Ishida forces, impressed by Mitsunari's will. In all other paths (aside from Keiji's, which mimicks Magoichi's) she shows up as an enemy or ally working with the Eastern Army.

It is implied that her name used to be Sayaka; Motochika Chosokabe refers to her as such, despite her insistence that she no longer uses that name. Fighting Nobunaga will reveal that the Demon King killed the former Magoichi, who was her mentor, and that she took up the Magoichi name to lead the Saika force in his stead.

Like the late Nōhime from Devil Kings, Magoichi wields various firearms to attack her enemies. Her S-String essentially involves shooting with the firearm and, again like Nōhime, will continue shooting as long as the attack button is being pressed (even after the 8th hit). When she uses one of three firearm in her skills, she'll continue holding it and use it for her ground and air S-String, changing its properties, until she uses another "gun skill". Each gun works slightly differently from others.

The magnum/pistol is the "balanced" gun compared to the other guns. Its "stats" are in the middle of those of the machine gun and shotgun. Her regular air attack works similar to most characters (can be shot multiple times). The pistol can also be charged to deal more damage and explode.

The shotgun is the "slow" gun. Its attack speed is the slowest and its has the least range, but it deals the most damage and has the widest attack area. Her regular air attack is similar to the air attack of "heavy" characters (single swing). The shot can also be charged for more damage, and the "reloading" animation afterwards counts as an attack.

The machine gun is the "fast" gun of the three. It has the fastest attack speed and has similar range to the pistol. Its attack area, however isn't as wide and the damage per bullet is the lowest (but this is easily compensated by attack speed). Magoichi cannot move during her S-String, but she can still turn (to an extent) to aim the gun elsewhere. Continuously shooting with her S-String will eventually cause her to reload, leaving her open to attacks. Her air attack is also like the "heavy" characters (1 swing/"shot"), but she will fire rapidly to the area where she'll land. Additionally, due to the rapid fire nature of this gun, it's easy to fill up her BASARA gauge using either her S-String or the gun's associated skill.

Magoichi also has a 2-part air strong attack. Initially, she'll just drop down, like other characters, then she'll step on a detonator to create an explosion around her.

Unlike Nōhime's regular attacks, however, Magoichi's bullets are seen during her regular attacks, meaning that she'll only hit those hit by the visible bullet (as opposed to Nōhime's where enemies in a certain area in front of her are hit).

Her personal item will turn the bullets shot by her revolvers into missiles.

Saika Magoichi is believed to be a moniker for the leader of the Saika-shu, rebels who opposed Oda Nobunaga's rise to power with the Ikkō-ikki. His group was reputed for their expert rifle formations and tactics, reported to have posed a threat to Nobunaga on more than one occasion. Their last mention in historical texts limits their activities to the Battle of Komaki-Nagakute. After their defeat to Hideyoshi their activities fade into obscurity. Some members of the group are fabled to have fought in Hideyoshi's Korean campaign. Not much is known on the "original" Magoichi or even if he was ever truly one person.

The Magoichi who appears in Sengoku BASARA is a gender bender of the legends surrounding Kim Chung-seon who was born as Sayaga. The female Magoichi's name, Sayaka, refers to the Saika-shu alternatively being called the Saiga-shu and vice-versa. Her character ties into the fantastical legend that Sayaga was originally a misinterpretation of "Saika". Alternatively, it has been argued that he called himself "Seon" or "Yoshi" when he was still in Japan. It has led some people to believe that he may be the obscure member of the Saika-shu, Suzuki Yoshiyuki (鈴木善之). "Suzuki" is often accepted as the historical family name for the Saika-shu and their leaders.

Kim Chung-seon's ties with the Saika has been published in fiction primarily through historical novels, although the possibility of its historical accuracy is slim at best. Most of it is wishful thinking based on circumstantial observation. Historical texts say little to nothing regarding his activity in Japan, however, so the legend is one which can't be entirely disproved as of yet.